Monkeypox confirmed in 131 cases in 19 countries, says World Health Organisation, the outbreak is unusual, but remains “containable.”
Monkeypox can be contained but can be fatal
Scientists do not expect the outbreak of Monkeypox to grow into a pandemic like COVID-19, given the virus does not spread as easily as SARS-COV-2. Monkeypox is a usually mild viral infection that is endemic in parts of the west and central Africa. World Health Organization (WHO) said that outbreaks of monkeypox cases outside of Africa can be contained.
That number is expected to increase, WHO officials have said, but most of the infections so far have not been severe. However, while the majority of people recover within about two to four weeks without needing to be hospitalized, monkeypox can be fatal for up to 6% of cases and is thought to be more serious in children.
Monkeypox is a disease caused by the #monkeypox virus. It is called “monkeypox” because it was first found in monkeys.
Most people fully recover without treatment, but in some cases, people can get seriously ill. pic.twitter.com/8VKiGMM8Uz
— World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific (@WHOWPRO) May 26, 2022
What is Monkeypox?
Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms very similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although it is clinically less severe. It is caused by the monkeypox virus which belongs to the orthopoxvirus genus of the Poxviridae family.
There are two clades of monkeypox virus: the West African clade and the Congo Basin (Central African) clade. The name monkeypox originates from the initial finding of the virus in monkeys in a Danish laboratory in 1958. The first human case was identified in a child in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1970.
How does it transmit?
Monkeypox virus is transmitted from one person to another by close contact with lesions, body fluids, respiratory droplets, and contaminated materials such as bedding. The incubation period of monkeypox is usually from 6 to 13 days but can range from 5 to 21 days.
Symptoms
Symptoms begin with fever, headache, muscle pains, swollen lymph nodes, and feeling tired. This is followed by a rash that forms blisters and crusts over. The time from exposure to onset of symptoms is usually 7 to 14 days. The duration of symptoms is typically two to four weeks. Cases may be severe, especially in children, pregnant women, or people with weaker immune systems.
Monkeypox may be spread from handling bushmeat, an animal bite or scratch, body fluids, contaminated objects, or close contact with an infected person. The virus normally circulates among certain rodents. Diagnosis can be confirmed by testing a lesion for the virus’s DNA. The disease can appear similar to chickenpox.
Treatment
Presently, the virus is being treated with antiviral drugs and smallpox vaccines, but medicine is trying to discover more about “new generation vaccines and treatments”.
Countries that reported cases of Monkeypox
Presently, apart from Africa, there are 19 countries reporting cases of Monkeypox, and here are the names. Slovenia had its first case after a traveler returned from the Canary Islands in Spain. United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Israel, and in Europe, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland have all reported cases of Monkeypox.
It does appear, just like COVID-19, the virus spreads more through foreign travel and from being endemic, could escalate to a pandemic so precautions made now will be the wisest.